Emmi, Fitchburg, Wis., announced a new addition to its Kaltbach family of cheeses.

Made with milk from dairy farmers in central Switzerland, Kaltbach Cave-Aged Gouda naturally ripens for three months before curing in the mineral-rich environment of the sandstone Kaltbach Caves. Once inside the cave, the Gouda is placed on a wooden board and hand-smeared with a saltwater wash. The natural moisture in the cave’s air then ripens the cheese while imparting flavors from the other Kaltbach cheeses aging beside it. The result is a unique cave-aged Gouda with a pale yellow hue, a dark brown rustic rind and a nutty caramel flavor with a hint of pear on the finish.

“Kaltbach Cave-Aged Gouda matures alongside hundreds of other wheels inside the Kaltbach Caves,” says Franz Kottmann, master cheesemaker and project leader for the Kaltbach Cave-Aged Gouda. “The natural environment of the cave and flora from the other cheeses gives it its distinctive rind and a flavor unlike any other gouda cheese.”

Emmi also released new packaging for the entire Kaltbach line and created new 5-ounce exact weight portions of Kaltbach cheeses for retailers. Quarter wheels will be available for foodservice professionals this spring and whole wheels will be available for retailers this fall.